Method of large scale afforestation

ABSTRACT

In a method of large scale afforestation two types of firebreak ( 5, 7 ) are employed. Firebreaks ( 5 ) of a first type are placed in a regular grid pattern and with a ground configuration which in terms of colour is adapted to the surroundings, whereas firebreaks ( 7 ) of a second type are laid out with an irregular development, which furthermore contrast in colour and are provided with a different width. Further, fencing in in parcels is expedient.

[0001] The invention relates to a method of large scale afforestation.

[0002] Conventionally, for afforestation, shoots or saplings are placedin the area be afforested and these are tended until they reach a stagewhich allows the saplings to be left to themselves. With such regions tobe afforested which are of large scale it is further usual to providefirebreaks in order to counter the danger of the spread of fires.Thereby, to provide these firebreaks in a simple grid pattern suggestsitself, at least when the structure of the terrain of the region to beafforested permits this. These also require considerable, and therebycostly, care and attention.

[0003] In particular in developing countries, underdeveloped regions andin regions which tend towards becoming steppe-like or desert-like,afforestation is associated with considerable costs. The landowner, whois in most cases the public authorities, is not always in a position tomake available the means needed for this over an extended period oftime.

[0004] From this starting point, the object of the present invention isso to modify the known method that the success of the afforestation workcan be ensured with a greater probability.

[0005] The object is achieved by means of the measures indicated inclaim 1.

[0006] It is advantageous to further develop the method by means of thefeatures of claim 2.

[0007] The invention also starts from the recognition, which is not newin itself, that sponsors can be more easily acquired when their name canbe brought into connection with the sponsored project, which isconventionally achieved by putting up or setting of placards or posters.

[0008] The manner of proceeding in accordance with the invention makesit possible to place characters and symbols, and thus also names andlogos of sponsors, on a large scale in a contrasting manner to theafforested surroundings, over longer periods of time, such that thecharacters so put in place—that is characters formed by means of thefirebreaks of the second type—can be recognized from a greater distance,from a mountain, from an airplane, from a balloon, etc.

[0009] Further, it has been found also that a reverse cultivation ispossible, in order to arrive at a region afforested in conventionalmanner, and also that regions already afforested in the conventionalmanner can be recultivated such that the firebreaks of the second typecan be put in place in existing conventionally afforested regions.

[0010] The invention will be schematically explained with reference tothe exemplary embodiment illustrated in the single Figure of thedrawings.

[0011] The Figure shows an approximately quadratic region 1 which is tobe afforested, which is fenced in by means of fences 2 and is likewisedivided up into a grid of substantially quadratic parcels 3. Shoots orsaplings 4, schematically represented by points, are distributed overthe entire region to be afforested with regular spacings from oneanother.

[0012] In accordance with a certain grid size, firebreaks 5 of a firsttype are evenly distributed between the saplings 4, whereby the gridsize of these firebreaks of the first type need by no means necessarilycoincide with the grid size of the fences 2. The grid size of the fences2 is determined in accordance with experience, in order to prevent pestsfrom the outside, in particular game or herds of domestic animals, frompenetrating into the region 1 to be afforested. The grid size of thefirebreaks 5 of the first type is, in contrast, assessed in accordancewith other matters of experience, namely those which are aimed atpreventing the spreading of a fire which arises in any of the parcels 3.Conventionally, there are also provided further supply arrangements 6,such as nurseries, administrative areas, irrigation plants and the like,whereby such can be provided also outside of the region 1 to beafforested, but can also be provided in each of the parcels or a groupof parcels 3.

[0013] Within the region 1 to be afforested there are provided furtherfirebreaks 7 of a second type, which differ from those of the first typeon the one hand in that they are not adapted to a grid size or pattern,but rather to a character, such as an alphanumeric character, orsymbolize a logo which is provided in the region 1 to be afforested. Onthe other hand, these firebreaks 7 of the second type contrast also intheir dimensions from the firebreaks 5 of the first type, in theirwidth. Thirdly, through a special handling of the firebreaks 5 and 7 ofthe first and second types it is provided that the first contrast aslittle as possible with the surroundings (terrain with saplings 4)whereas the latter contrast very clearly.

[0014] If the shoots or saplings are trees whose basic colour is darkand substantially green, at least when observed from a distance, thefirebreaks 5 of the first type can be formed by means of untreatedground or ground with suitable likewise substantially dark growth,preferably also with green colouring, whereas the firebreaks 7 of thesecond type can be formed by means of ploughed, possibly also gravelledor sanded ground, which is then very light, and thus at least uponobservation from a distance, for example from a mountain or a flyingobject, if applicable also a satellite, the character is givenprominence standing out clearly from the surroundings.

[0015] As is schematically illustrated there are thereby providedadditional connecting firebreaks 8, which are similar or the same asthose of the firebreaks 5 of the first type, in order to establishconnections serving for fire protection to the firebreaks of the firsttype or to the edge of the region 1 to be afforested. Further, throughthese, access is possible for tending to the firebreak 7 of the secondtype.

[0016] It has been found that the disposition of the fences 2 need notnecessarily be altered, but it has also been found that the path of thefences 2 can be adapted entirely or in part to the path of thefirebreaks 7 of the second type.

[0017] Since it can be assumed that many further regions (not shown indetail) of the same configuration and likewise to be afforested join tothe one illustrated region 1 to be afforested, for which the firebreaks7 of the second type can in each case form other characters, the stateof growth of the individual regions 1 to be afforested can be determinedfrom greater distance, for example by means of colour tests. Further itis possible to make known to the public a sponsor for a region 1 to beafforested in that a character chosen by him, which may be a self-chosenlogo, wording or the like, is selected as that character which by meansof the firebreaks 7 of the second type in introduced in a prominentmanner into the region 1 to be afforested.

1. Method of large scale afforestation having the steps laying outfirebreaks, planting shoots or saplings, tending to the shoots orsaplings and the firebreaks, characterized in that, in the region (1) tobe afforested, firebreaks (5) of a first type are laid out in a regulargrid pattern and with a ground configuration of a colour which isadapted to the surroundings and in that in the region (1) to beafforested there are further laid out firebreaks (7) of a second typewhich extend in a manner deviating from the grid pattern and which arelaid out with a ground configuration which contrasts in colour and witha different width, the firebreaks (5) of the first type surroundingthose (7) of the second type, and connecting firebreaks (8) being laidout from the latter (7) to the first (5), which connecting firebreakshave the ground configuration in terms of colour and the width of thefirst (5).
 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by fencing in(2) in parcels (3) at least in that section of the region (1) to beafforested which has the firebreaks (5) of the first type.